title: [The structure and patterns of sleep in autism spectrum disorders].
abstract: Human sleep, as an ancient demeanor emerging at the meeting-point of psychogenetic and ontogenetic brain development as well as of specific environmental factors, frames the basis of adaptation to complex information processing conditions. Therefore sleep befalls in the focus of modern sleep research as the sensitive indicator of psychological and biological integrity. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by peculiarly altered behaviours occurring in various life situations, which can be traced in the structure and patterns of sleep as well. There is convincing evidence suggesting that ASD are associated with various sleep disorders at times of extreme severity. The frequency of these sleep disorders is different from those seen in typically developing children of the same age and mental abilities, but often overlapping with other neuropsychiatric disorders. The present article while reviewing core methodological milestones of sleep research provides an extensive overview of the nature of sleep disorders emerging in ASD as well as of the composite relationships between psychological and physiological features. Emerging knowledge regarding the etiological background and treatment options will be also addressed.
authors.affiliation: Semmelweis Egyetem Budapest, Magatartástudományi Intézet. lazalp@net.sote.hu
authors.forename: Alpár Sándor
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lázár
authors.forename: Róbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bódizs
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012895:Sleep, REM; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires